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RealBand
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I'm doing some recording now after a hiatus of a few years.
Somehow my mind is telling me that there used to be a way of locking a track to keep from inadvertently recording over it. I used to record with PTPA and I thought that feature was in it, and I did some recording way back with RB 2022 and I'm thinking the same thing.
I checked the documentation and did a search here but I came up with zilch, although I must admit that the pdf search capability was somewhat limited and the site search gave back so many results that didn't cover what I was seeking so after a while I had to give that up.
Could someone please tell me if my memory serves me correctly that RB used to have that function and no longer does, or if it never had it and the latest version does not have that capability.
BTW, I sure do miss that large red gradient color of the track bar in the tracks window that 2022 had. Is there a way in the 2026 preferences to enable that?
Thanks
BluegrassPicker
Last edited by BluegrassPicker; 03/07/26 04:34 PM.
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RealBand
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Joined: Oct 2008
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Hi BGP, If you right-click your mouse in the Tracks window, then click on "Generate" from the pop-up menu, you find the option "Freeze track from generation" available. This should do the job for you. ![[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]](https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=32406&filename=freeze tracks 2026.jpg) --Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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RealBand
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Thanks for your reply, Noel.
I had a chance to try your suggestion today, and it didn't work. The Freeze Track From Generation selection through the menu system enabled the little snowflake icon on the track, and I tried that before from the track window by selecting the snowflake. I thought what the heck, maybe it would work when going through the menu, but no dice either. The recording with the snowflake active with the track number selected and in red just performed as a normal active recording take.
Maybe my setup doesn't have something in the preferences selected or de-selected, or something.
Thanks for the good suggestion, it was worth a try, and much appreciated.
BluegrassPicker
Last edited by BluegrassPicker; Yesterday at 04:44 PM.
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RealBand
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Joined: Jan 2020
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BK...
a simple way is to duplicate the track to a new track and mute the dupe.
ya got 255 tracks.
i also back up...works for me.
om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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RealBand
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 89
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OP
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BK...
a simple way is to duplicate the track to a new track and mute the dupe.
ya got 255 tracks.
i also back up...works for me.
om That's what I've been doing. Would be simpler just to be able to check a box or padlock icon on the track to lock it and be done. What happens, and it's probably just my ignorance, is that I'll select a track for recording then move the mouse over to some other track to check something out or whatever, then come back to the track to record, then lay down my masterpiece recording that just nailed it in one shot so absolutely beautifully (yeah right) and then get the "Do you want to save" box, punch Yes and then find out that I just recorded over my previous other masterpiece track of a different instrument or vocal. Like I said, my ignorance and my bad, and I'm far more careful now than I used to be. Live and learn. I back up frequently as well (fanatically, having worked many years in IT) but that leads me to another wish-list item. As I progress in the project I do a "Save As" and add an incremental number such as "MySong-1.SEQ" then "MySong-2.SEQ" etc. That way I can go back prior to the latest changes or additions to "before" if the latest needed to be undone. Many programs have a History window that can be used to step backward. I haven't seen one in RB. So, in RB when I select "Save As" I am often taken to some directory other than where the original file is located. If I simply add my incremental number to the file, the file is then created in that other directory, not the original. That happens often if you go to a VST directory to choose a plugin preset, etc. You're taken to the last opened directory to save your file, not the original. I learned I've gotta be on my toes and pay attention and not get lazy or I end up having to search around to find where that "lost" file went. If there was a way to keep a "Save As" file in the original file's directory, that would be helpful. Also - and this is a real wish-list item for many programs like RB - have a "Save As Incremental" that adds a number to the filename so you can just select that and keep on with the project. I guess it's laziness on my part, but when I get into a project I get super focused and "stuff happens". That's why I was curious if there was a locking mechanism. Thanks for your reply, much appreciated. BluegrassPicker
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RealBand
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Hi BGP. I've just tried it in Build 8 of BIAB, and Freeze is working correctly. (I also get a message pop-up to say that the track is frozen so it won't be generated.) Have you installed Build 8 yet? To check which build of RB you have, have a look under the Help menu and select "About Realband". If Buil 8 is not installed, it can be found at the link below. https://www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm--Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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RealBand
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I believe Freeze from regeneration only applies to tracks generated internally by the BIAB style or adding a RealTrack SuperMidi or midi instrument from the MultiPicker.
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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RealBand
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BK.
(i was in tech too...glad to be out of it....too many management fools
who thought 5 year huge multi million projects need only take a month.
i actually made a ceo once sit down and see what was involved...who went 'i never knew'...
never bothered us again...lol.)
i'm not at my pc cos some minor surgery...but if i remember in rb prefs one can detail dir to be used.
i have a dir for each song...into which all bb and rb files go and tracks and saves etc.)
om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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RealBand
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OP
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My recording computer had RB v7. No snowflake protection there.
My working computer has RB v8. No snowflake protection.
I just now updated the recording computer to RB v8. No snowflake protection there still.
For testing:
-I'm using a new unpopulated creation of a SEQ file (no SGU loaded)
-selecting (arming) an empty audio track
-recording a bar or two
-applying the snowflake (via clicking the snowflake or via the menu)
-recording a bar or two
-Keep Yes
-RB copies the new audio over the top of the previous audio everytime.
Not a major issue for me, I was just hoping for something that I might have been missing.
Thanks
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RealBand
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OP
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BK.
i'm not at my pc cos some minor surgery...but if i remember in rb prefs one can detail dir to be used.
i have a dir for each song...into which all bb and rb files go and tracks and saves etc.)
om Yes, it's under the File section in RB prefs. Check the box if you want the open and save as folders to open independently. Mine was checked. I'll do some experimenting. Thanks Quick recovery to you - been there done that several times. Some minor, some not so... But God's been good. BluegrassPicker
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RealBand
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Snowflake is a BiaB feature.
If I open a BiaB file (SGU not SEQ) I do a couple things.
First I right-click the track and get to where it says "Make all BB tracks regular tracks".
Caveat: you no longer have a BiaB song with BiaB features, like regenerate all the tracks using a style, etc. Instead you have all those tracks 'frozen', as in you have to intentionally record/generate a given track(s).
In other words you don't worry about what you want to prevent from getting generated and instead focus on what you do want to generate.
Then I save as a SEQ file so it is saved that way.
Then you can safely work in RB focused on what you want to change vs what you have to try to prevent from changing.
And you still have the original SGU file if needed.
This is a huge difference in how RB and BB work, fundamentally, for me.
Plus it's linear instead of chorus/verse options.
Last edited by rharv; 2 hours ago.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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Thanks rharv, very interesting.
I'll do some experimenting with that.
I love BB and RB - it's been a lot of fun for many years and I don't know what I'd do without it.
But I have a flat spot on my forehead from beating my head against the wall quite often, and then another flat spot on the other side where I slapped myself very often and said "rats, I should have known that". But your hint saved me from that part because I didn't know about that.
Thanks again for the advice.
BluegrassPicker
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